Burning Man 2018: Portraits of a Camp

Twenty-six. The only integer that is one greater than a square and one less than a cube, the number of spacetime dimensions in bosonic string theory, and the number of faces in a rhombicuboctahedron (thanks, Wikipedia). That’s how many people were in our Burning Man camp this year — double our numbers from burns past!

Despite our camp’s monstrous growth, however, we managed to keep our important camp traditions intact. Nightly camp dinners, the Da Vinci bar, and our biannual camp photoshoot all brought us together per usual, and some awesome new additions made 2018 even more special.

Could we have done without our recycling queen, that handy megaphone, or our unplanned (but ridiculously delicious) Sunday meat feast? Of course — but it sure wouldn’t have been as memorable without each and every campmate that made up this year’s Prosciutto Bay.

The Burners of Camp Prosciutto Bay

We had our share of dusty outings and minor injuries this year, but Ian and I actually spent less time adventuring than we have at previous burns. It was nice returning to camp after an outing, where you’d always find an open chair and a conversation or activity to join. Margarita? Sure! Game of Bocce? Why not? Learning how to handle a rope dart? I’m in!

In those in-between moments scattered throughout the week, we got to know each and every person in our camp as Prosciutto Bay welcomed 13 new burners for the 2018 burn: Laryssa, Josh, Alex, Sarah, Zack, Dani, Devon, Moriah, Ryan, Annette, Amanda, Natalie, and Cole.

Keeping up with tradition, Ian and I rounded up our campmates on Thursday evening for a photo gathering out on the playa. As the sun set, we captured portraits of everyone.

Now it’s your turn to get to know the 2018 rendition of Camp Prosciutto Bay. Meet each burner — new and old — below!

Angie ♥ Sam

Angie | This spandex-clad fanny-pack wearing burner is as adventurous as her outfit is shiny. Our “beacon in the night” or “guiding star,” her glowing green octopus leads the way. Enjoys dusty rides on the playa, Oreos, and painting with light.

Sam | Light-up suspenders, mermaid leggings, a tiny bikini… you name it, he wore it. Skilled at see sawing, making blueberry pancakes, and having a foggy memory. Did he finally make it on an art car this year? The world may never know.

Dave

Dave | Skilled at pedaling and passing a beer simultaneously, this dusty-haired dude is a regular adventurer. Beverage-loaded panniers keep his thirst quenched. Likes his scarves dusty and his hair dustier.

Dani ♥ Zack

Dani | This Canadian first-time burner is as friendly as her country’s reputation. Skills include cooking tasty pulled pork tacos and standing perfectly still for photos. Only burner we know who’s ever ridden the Burner Express.

Zack | Unclear if he’s got a lack of basic coordination or just a bad bike, this new burner hits the dust at every other turn. Enjoys free hot dogs, ceramics, and the comforts of his new (old) trailer. Solidly skilled in disappearing and magically reappearing.

Josh

Josh | What do you get when you stack an Oreo, mini brownie, and a sparkler atop an Oatmeal Creme Pie? This first-year burner’s birthday cake. Pan-fried chocolate chip cookies are his specialty. Enjoys communicating via walkie talkie, oversized shade structures, and the sound of his amplified voice.

Sam

Sam | This second-year burner rocks the heel kicks once again and plays the banjo better than the guy who brought one. Recent addition to the trailer club. Dislikes see saws.

Dean

Dean | Guuuuuuten tag! The rebel robot we call ‘Dean’ sing-songs German greetings and wears his socks on the wrong feet. Made that robot helmet for this burn’s theme, I, Robot.

Moriah ♥ Devon

Moriah | This first time burner is skilled in the art of standing still. Makes delicious mushroom pesto pasta alongside her partner-in-crime and LED bracelet buddy, Devon. Doesn’t dare depart until she’s fully witnessed the entire Man burn.

Devon | Step up, spin the wheel, and get ready for a warm mixed drink from this Reno-based first-timer. Bartends like a pro, but creates new recipes as he goes. Keeps himself hydrated with his trusty Camelbak.

Keith ♥ Erin

Keith | Our only hope of having real prosciutto at Camp Prosciutto Bay, this multi-year burner also cooks up a mean chili. Plays bocce ball like he owns the game. Makes a killer margarita.

Erin | A broken bike seat won’t stop this return burner from adventuring. Likes include perpetual chatter, sunscreen, and drinking margaritas from her moscow mule mug. Has more freckles than you can count.

Annette

Annette | Who needs tongs when you have heat-resistant fingertips? This first-year burner cooks delicious meat with her bare hands. Enjoys receiving special treatment on art cars, making fresh guacamole, and helping out her drunken campmates. 0:-)

Ryan

Ryan | Eager to blast some fire in the air, this spacesuit-wearing first year loves pushing buttons. Also cooks delicious beef — but not without utensils. His gigantic watermelon is more for camp decor than consumption.

Kat ♥ Anthony

Kat | No trash dumper can escape the megaphone-d ridicule of this rope dart-wielding, hula-hooping, repeat burner. Enjoys belting out Disney tunes while biking, wearing shimmery makeup, and trivia. Sitting in that robot costume is not an option; she may never get up again!

Anthony | This shiny blue burner is great at jumping but not so great at standing still. Enjoys fixing broken lighters, EL wire, and being extra prepared. Can’t live without his epi-pen… or that cowboy hat.

Rob

Rob | Ranger by day, Cowboy Captain Underpants by night, this forever burner promises light, music, and mist to the camp. Successfully refrigerated this year’s questionable chicken. Not so successful at driving the trike train.

Doug ♥ Laryssa

Doug | Co-cooker of probably the healthiest food our camp has ever eaten, this yurt-dwelling repeat burner seems to have actually worn sunscreen this year. Smiles just as wide for photo retakes. Might be wearing the same shirt as last time.

Laryssa | Rivaling her boyfriend for friendliest burner, this lucky first timer barely made it on the playa before a whiteout closed the gates. Co-cooker of the aforementioned healthy yummy food. Skills include jumping on queue, smiling ’til it hurts, and always looking freshly showered.

Sarah ♥ Alex

Sarah | Environmental friendliness is the name of the game for this first-year Seattleite. Sorts recycling like it’s her favorite pastime. Enjoys hooping and yoga. Dislikes ballet.

Alex | This puppy-lovin’ first-time burner is ready for dusty adventures. Playa yogi by day, party goer by night. Enjoys the roomy comforts of his Craigslist camping find.

Natalie and Amanda

Natalie | This blonde burner is as fresh as Annette’s homemade guacamole. Not as prickly as her cactus shirt may suggest. Sun-kissed from Sacramento, she seeks to soak in all the Burning Man she can on her first year.

Amanda | Burning Man runs in the fam for this shiny new burner. This mid-week addition is the bearer of fresh veggies, goat cheese, and the freshest spinach you’ve ever seen on the playa. Enjoys face bejeweling. Dislikes deflated bike tires.

Diana ♥ Ian

Diana | That’s me. I enjoy Disney song bike-alongs, daily showers, impromptu playa jury trials, and the comforts of our new camper van life. Put my pockets to good use saving peeled clementines for later. I dislike sprained ankles and keyed bike locks.

Ian | My hubby. This space jumper-wearing sixth-time burner is my partner in crime. Likes mango jerky, Indian food, and has a new appreciation for instant rice. Enjoys the comfiest sleeps on the playa on our van’s newly constructed loft bed.

*Thanks Angie and Kat for light painting these ones for us!

At some point in the evening, some new friends popped in on our portrait session, so we took a photo of them, too. 🙂

The Camp

What’s it like to be a burner in Camp Prosciutto Bay? To really know, you’d have to experience it yourself, but I’ll try to give you an idea here.

We’re a pretty laid back camp that gets a bit more organized each year. We enjoy having camp dinners together every night, and we tend to split into smaller groups for most excursions.

If we’re taking a break or too tired to go out, we hang out together around our camp or at our camp bar, where we serve warm drinks mostly to ourselves.

Top row from left: biking on the playa at night, a dusty night out with Angie and Sam, our entire camp jumping in unison // bottom row from left: Burning Man 2018 temple, Camp Prosciutto Bay bar and campmates, the 2018 Man

Prosciutto Bay hit an all time high in numbers this year, totaling at 26 burners, and this year’s campmates came to Black Rock City from cities all over the U.S., including Reno, Seattle, LA, Chicago, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Mammoth Lakes. Thirteen of us were return burners that come back every year or at least semi-regularly.

Though the camp bid farewell to its original shade structure last year — opting for a more dust-protected carport setup — it’s still recognizable by the Da Vinci bar and trike train that’s nearly always parked out front.

To our uniquely amazing campmates:

Thanks to all of you for making this year’s burn amazing. It wouldn’t have been the same without each and every one of you, and I hope you’ll all forgive me for the extra time it took to get this out this year. 😉 To all of our new friends, it was great meeting and getting to know you over the course of this crazy week.

We hope these photos help you remember the magic of your 2018 burn for many years to come.

A Few Closing Notes

All photos in this post were taken by Ian Norman and Diana Southern. The nighttime photos we’ve shared here were the result of a collaboration of creativity and inspiration, including several of our creative campmates, the hooping skills of Kat Salvo, and the light painting techniques we learned from our friends Eric Paré and Kim Henry earlier this year.

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About the Author

Diana Southern

In March 2014, Diana called it quits on her traditional American working life and set out to explore the world with her partner in crime (and love of her life) Ian Norman. They now live a sustainable life of full time travel, working for themselves and seeking adventure at the same time. Here on North to South, Diana documents their journey in achieving and maintaining this "road less traveled" way of life.

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